


F is for First Impression

by octarines (orphan_account)



Series: Wolfpack [4]
Category: Final Fantasy Type-0, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Academy!fic, Alternate Universe, Bromance, Crossover, Gen, M/M, pre-bromance, pre-promptis or something idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 16:09:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3774979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/octarines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>"When someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them."</em><br/>-Maya Angelou</p>
            </blockquote>





	F is for First Impression

**Author's Note:**

> I dig that Prompto's considered a 'bad influence' on Noct. Anyway, it opens up limitless possibilities of how they first meet outside of canon/ AU.  
> I might turn it into a full-length fic at some point, but for now enjoy it as a one-shot :)  
> Enjoy the ending song hahaha

It was past midnight when Noct finally collapsed face-first into bed, exhausted to his bones.  He’d assumed that a change in sparring partner from Gladiolus would be a walk in the park, given the Amicitia boy was _easily_ the strongest in their year, but the student from Bahamut House— _what’s her name_ —was no slouch.  If anything, he’d left the training grounds even more worse for wear, his fellow students’ laughter at his back as he made his way to the showers. 

 

 _And tomorrow I get to do it_ all _over again,_ Noct thought, groaning.  He glanced over at his roommate's bed, frowning slightly. It had been two whole weeks and still they hadn’t shown up.  The general consensus was that he’d gone AWOL, but Noct found that idea to be completely nonsensical.  For one thing, the school would have brought in a new student off the waiting list.  For another, Akademeia was _easily_ the top Institution for Higher Education in Magic and subsequently the hardest to get into. 

 

Who in their right mind would actively waste such an opportunity when only a hundred were accepted out of the thousands that applied daily?

 

He didn't have to wait long for that question to be answered.  Seconds after he closed his eyes and began to drift, there was a tapping at the windows.  A shadowed outline of a person blocked out the moonlight, streaming through the glass and across the carpet.  When Noct went to investigate, he found a boy about his age, sporting disheveled blonde hair and a roguish smile in the moonlight. He was dressed in the academy uniform or at least, Noct could tell he was from a corner of their House’ coat of arms that wasn’t covered in black mucus.  

 

"'Sup roomie?" he said as Noct let him in. As he entered, the room was suddenly filled with the pungent stench of rotting eggs.  Immediately Noct’s hand flew up to pinch his nose, lest it dropped off his face. _What the hell is that?_

“It’s tonberry piss,” explained his roommate.  Noct instinctively took a few steps back and the boy grinned, as if somehow proud.  “They tend to do that when scared, bless their little souls.  Smells worse than corpses, I know, but it keeps the behemoths from sniffing you out.  What’s the word you use, when you expect something but the reverse happens?  I forget sometimes, not much of a reader you know.”

 

“Ironic.” Noct supplied, not having a clue what he was talking about.

 

“That’s the one,” the boy pointed cheerfully before continuing “and I was _exactly like you_ because behemoths have insanely good noses, you know?  Can smell fear a mile away.  But it totally _works_. 

 

A couple of weeks ago this one beast was chasing us through the forest, _just tearing shit up_  to get to us.  Think I might have pissed myself—probably did— _anyway_ , the ground gives way beneath us, and we’re falling. King is _freaking out_.  We land in a ditch and Dead-Eye is breathing on us and in the corner of my eye I’m like: ‘dude it’s a tonberry’. And King, he just grabs a fistful of dirt and just…” 

 

On and on, he rambled animatedly, Noct watching with incredulous eyes as the stranger hurried about the room, grabbing a large tote bag and stuffing clothes into it. He suddenly halted.

 

"Have you seen a  big grimoire? It's dark blue leather with silver-edged pages.  About this thick" he gestured to show before rummaging through his desk drawers. "I stole it from the Restricted Section, which, I think, _totally_ defeats the purpose of this whole…’education institution’.  It’s like: they want us to learn, but they _don’t_ want us to learn _some_ things.  I take issue with that, you know.  I mean _really_.  Do I _look_ like the type of guy who’d actually try to resurrect someone?” he rolled his eyes at Noct’s expression. “I love my loved ones, but if you gotta go, _you gotta go_ , know what I’m sayin’?”

 

“No.”

 

“Ehh.  You’re no fun.” He stuck his tongue out.

 

"Who the hell are you?  And the hell are you doing anyway, sneaking into the Forbidden Woods?”

 

“Why,” the boy challenged, “you gonna report me?”

 

Before he could answer, Noct’s breathing was suddenly cut short as he felt the cold barrel of a hunting rifle pressing against his jugular.  He stared in the darkness, bewildered.  The guy had to have been at least 10 paces away. 

 

_How did he-_

 

“Still want to know who I am?” the boy asked, smirking.

 

“Depends,” Noct was surprised at how calm his voice was.  “ _Are_ you worth knowing?”

 

The boy’s smile disappeared.  Noct tried not to wince as the metal pressed harder against his skin.  “You’ve got balls, mouthing off to someone with a gun at your throat.”

 

Noct quietly deliberated on the pros and cons of insulting him, and made his decision. 

 

“If you gotta go, you gotta go,” he said.

 

The boy smiled and the pressure against Noct's neck receded, the rifle vanishing beneath the large overcoat he had shrugged on.

 

**_BEEP -BEEP- BEEP_ **

_  
_ “Ahh excuse me.” A cell phone was pulled out with a flourish, the boy studying the screen once before pocketing it.  “Drama queen,” Noct heard him mutter.  

 

"The Forbidden Woods are out of bounds," Noct said.  "And _inaccessible_ ,” he added, remembering the magical barrier erected by the Vice-Chancellor. 

 

All he received in reply was a secretive smile and a wink, and then Noct was following the strange boy out onto the balcony, watching him balance perfectly on the guard rails.  For a long moment he stood there, watching the moon. 

 

“You know what they call a moon that big in this corner of the world?”

 

Noct shrugged. 

 

“Hunter’s moon.” He prepared to launch himself off the balcony, but stopped at the last moment.  He turned, head tilted slightly,  as if studying Noct.  “We’re a bit short-handed tonight.  Keen to earn a few extra gil?” he stuck out a gloved hand as he said it.  Noct eyed him warily.  “Oh come on, I _know_ you’re curious.  And _bored_.”

 

“I could get expelled,” Noct said. 

 

The boy continued to hold out his hand.  “What’s risk without the reward?”

 

* * *

 

 

As they catapulted into the night, Noct asked his name.  He could tell the guy was smiling as he answered.  

 

“Prompto,” he said, before adding, "and definitely someone _worth_ knowing.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> "Some legends are told  
> Some turn to dust or to gold  
> But you will remember me  
> Remember me for centuries  
> - _Centuries_ , Fall Out Boy


End file.
